The Seibu Lions said Thursday they have been notified of the highest bid by a major league club for right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Teams presented their bids via the posting system for the hard-throwing 26-year-old by the 5 p.m. Wednesday (EST) deadline, but Seibu did not reveal the name of the team which has bid highest nor the amount of money offered.
"We have confirmed the amount of money bid. But I cannot make any comment on whether the club will accept it," said Lions active owner Hidekazu Ota.
The offer will be discussed at a Seibu board of directors meeting to be held Friday or later. If the Lions accept the offer within four days excluding Saturday and Sunday, the highest bidder will have 30 days to negotiate a deal with Matsuzaka.
The Associated Press said the New York Yankees was confirmed to have offered a bid for Matsuzaka, who spent eight years as the No. 1 starter for the Lions.
According to recent reports, the Yankees, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox are among strong bidders and the successful bid is believed to be worth over $20 million.